Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Long time no blog

Goddess but time does fly, especially with exams, essays and the procrastination...ummm...I mean dedication that they bring. ;)

At this point I have my exams done (my poor writing hand wanted to detach itself and crawl somewhere to shudder quietly through the pain). 3 out of 4 of my essays are done - the final one is a critique on a Taped Interview I did. Oh....joy. Then last, and most definitely least - Psychometric Testing Level B Portfolio.

Urgh.

At this point I'm having to remind myself that I chose to enrol on the course. (Thankfully my colleague was doing exams as well so I felt quite empathised with at work even though we study very different areas).

My way of self-soothing my way through exam tension is..........................

Yes you guessed it, I get out my knitting needles and k1, p2 my way through anxieties great and small.

I've finished all the pieces of the blue baby jacket but can't seem to talk myself into actually putting them together. That point will come in time.

Wanting a fresh project with some actual shaping involved, and a garment for me, I opted to knit up the Joma Sweater.

I like the chilled out design and simple 2 x 2 rib detail on from the shoulders down. The pattern is thanks to 'Let's Knit' magazine as pictured below. It's Issue 4 Mar 08.

My only annoyances with it were that some sections of yarn had been knotted together and the yarn at some point had a tendency to split. I wind my yarn from however it's been wound into denser balls that I find easier to knit with. My knitting is usually on the go. Denser balls take up less space and unwind more smoothly than looser wound balls or hanks. The other advantage is that the entire yarn can be inspected while winding it so that you'll know what you'll be dealing with.

I don't particularly like being three quarters through a row and finding a knot is about to be incorporated into a visible part of the fabric. So I'm glad I wind my yarn. I just cut these pieces out. It didn't affect the overall yarn length and I was able to rejoin these at the side of the knitted piece of fabric.

This yarn has a knitterly quality when worked up. I know, I know, if it's knitted then why wouldn't it be knitterly......but, some yarns are so uniform that they're not 'knitterly'. There's a certain randomness to an organic material that some yarns don't possess. Maybe the high cotton percentage has made this yarn more 'buttery' and so more knitterly. (My words really are failing me at the moment!)

Anyhow, this knit has progressed really well apart from being frogged due to my casting on for a size smaller ( I was so relieved to find that the fabric had been mistakenly knit to a smaller size and that it was not I who was unwittingly a clothing size bigger! :) ).

It has helped in me with my procrastin........I mean my 'study breaks' ;) ......... combined with episodes of Stargate Atlantis to unwind.

Not counting the first casting on, I've been working on this since last Monday and already have both the front and back done and am working on the sleeves now. I have them both cast on so that I'll essentially finish both at the same time and not have to cast on the second and work my way through the same pattern territory for a second time. People do find it bemusing to see two pieces being worked at the same time but it works for me. :)

No comments:

Limerick Pride 2009

Followers

About Me

As my handle suggests I’m a crafter and knit, crochet, and look forward to a time when I can embroider again.
The rainbow refers to where I volunteer - Rainbow Support Services. I help to run a drop-in service with a bunch of great volunteers. Two of us started a Stitch’n’Bitch which called Rainbow Drop-in home. we've now relocated to the Old Quarter Pub.
I often refer to myself as a rainbowhead - cos I spend so much time there :) and get into a certain (far more patient) mindset when I’m in Rainbow.
My 'real' job is as an admin temp. So by day I push paper and by night I poke yarn. :)
I’m a drag king, so I have a particular interest in cool knits for men.
Oh yeah, and underscoring everything else - I’m parent to a blond bombshell who is gonna break hearts as she gets older.